Flush valve



Dec. 17, 1935. F1 Q BlNNALL 2,024,270

FLUSH VALVE Filed April 14, 19:51v

Patented Dec.l 17, 1935 UNITED STATES FLUSH VALVE Frederick C. Binnall,Washington, D. C., assignor to Tradewald Corporation, Washington, D. C.,a. corporation of Delaware Application April 14, 1931, Serial No.530,088

10 Claims. (Cl. 137-93) My invention relates to flush valves and 'has todo, more particularly, with flush valves of the type in which there is achamber, a main valve, a hydrostatic element associated with the chamberand coupled to the main valve, and a control valve for relievingpressure within the chamber to effect operation of the main valve.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a ush valve which issubstantially silent in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved valve of thistype which is charac terized by longer life, greater dependability, andpermanence of adjustment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve element, for usein` ushing devices of the type described, which is not subject tofouling by acid or alkali impurities commonly found in water ofmunicipal systems.

Further objects and objects relating to details and economies ofconstruction will denitely appear from the detailed description tofollow. In one instance, I accomplish the objects of my invention by themeans set forth in the following specification. My invention is clearlydened and pointed out in the appended claims. A

structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing forming. a part of myspecication,

in which:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a preferred ush valveconstruction embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionalview taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

l Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the removable qw restrictingmember disposed in the chamber charging duct; 7

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the control valve, the adjustable stemthereof being shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the lower face of the main valve.

In the drawing, the same reference numerals refer to the same partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawing, there is shown apreferred embodiment of r myiinvention which comprises a casing I0 hav-0 ingrl an inlet connection or portA Il, an outlet port I2 which extendsupwardly into the casing proper and terminates in a valve seat I3, acylinder I4 disposed directly above the valve seat I3, in alinementtherewith, and a threaded cap t I5 closing the outer end of the cylinderI4, A

plunger constituting the main valve is disposed for movement in thecylinder I4 and comprises a piston head I6 formed of hard rubber, atubular stem I1 secured in head I6 and depending therefrom, as bymolding said head around the 5 upper end of said stem, a cup-likesealing element \I8 of pliant material, constituting the piston skirt, avalve seat engaging washer I9 of resilient material, a muiiling washer20 formed of a number of thicknesses of wire gauze, 10 and aspool-shaped assembly nut 2| threaded uponthe lower end of the stem I1.The head I6 is provided with a central aperture and 'is recessed aboutsaid aperture to receive a resilient washer 22 whichA constitutes the'seat for the 15 control valve 23, the pendant stem 24 of which extendsloosely through the tubular stem I'I of the main valve. The controlvalve 23 is centered with respect to the washer 22 by a slotted ring I6a formed integral with the head I6. A 20 freely slidable sleeve 25 iscarried upon the stem 24 and by means of a. long tubular nut 26 threadedupon the stem and engaging the inturned lip 25a of the sleeve, themaximum expanded length of stem 24 and sleeve 25 may 25 be readilyregulated. For facilitating theA making of adjustments, the lower end ofnut 26 is preferably slotted .as at 26 to receive the blade of a screwdriver or similar tool. A set` screw 21' is screwed into the threads ofthe nut 26 to abut 30 the end of stem 24 and lock the nut 26 againstloosening. 'I'he sleeve extension 25 extends below the end of the stemI1 and th`e nut 2I, and is adapted to be engaged by conventional controlvalve operating means consisting of a plung- 35 er 28 which extendsthrough the wall of the casing I 0 and a'manually operable cam device29. A packing element 30 and a plunger returning spring 3I ofconventional'form are also provided. For the purpose of slowly charging40. cylinder I4 withfluid and restoringthe main valve to itsseat whensuicient flushing has taken place, there is provided a charging duct 32which leads from the inlet port Il to the topof cylinder I4 terminatingin a restricted 45 by-pass 33. Duct 32 is accessible by removing cap I5and is` restricted at its upper end adjacent by-pass 33. 'I'hisrestriction may be provided in a number of ways, but consists preferablyof a tubular member 34 pressed into the 50 duct, 32 and a pin 35 looselydisposed in the tubular member 33 with its head 35a resting thereon andretaining the pin against dissociation therefrom. Movements of the pin35 in accordance with ud ow through the passage in the tubular member 34prevent the lodging of foreign matter therein.

In devices of this character, the plunger constituting the main valvemust descend slowly to provide a suicient period of flushing, and as itapproaches the end of its downward movement and the flow of ushing fluidpast the valve seat is being restricted, more and more resistanceagainst seating is encountered due to the building up of pressureagainst the underside of the plunger. Accordingly, the final seatingmovement of the valve is extremely slow, and the flushing fluid escapingpast the valve during this period sets up singing and whistling soundswhich are extremely annoying and embarrassing. To eliminate thisundesirable feature, I have provided an additional or auxiliarycylinder' charging by-pass 36 through which fluid ows only during thefinal seating stage of the main valve. By-pass 36 is connected with duct32 in a manner similar to by-pass 33, but

i ,has several times the capacity of by-pass 33.

Itis located well down along the cylinder I4 and is uncovered by theplunger head I6 only when the valve element I9 has so closely approachedvalve seat I3 as to materially interrupt the flow of iiuid past the seatand cause the unpleasant sounds mentioned. At this period in theoperation of the valve, flushing. in so far as its intended andbeneficial effects are concerned, has been completed. Because ofthelarge capacity of the by-pass 36,seating of the valve .is almostinstantaneous after by-pass 36 has been cleared by the piston head I6.Since the plunger has already reached substantially the: end of itsstroke before by-pass 36 is brought into operation, there is nohammering of the valve against itsseat in closing. By-pass 33 may beconstructed to pass as little fluid as desired to thereby extend theflushing period far beyond the limits generally necessary or desired,yet, when flushing has been completed, the valve will close quickly andquietly without whistling, screaming, or hammering noises. l

From the above description, the operation of the valve constructiondisclosed should be easily understood. The valve is normally closed asshown in Fig. 1. Upon movement of cam device 29 as by pressingdownwardly upon handle portion 29, plunger 28 is pressed against thesleeve 25 tilting stem I 1 and unseating the control valve 23,discharging a portion of the fluid in cylinder I4 through tubular stemI1 into outlet port I2. Plunger head I6 immediately rises under theinfluence of pressure in inlet port II, to compensate for the fluiddischarged. Valve element I9 is carriedy upwardly with plunger I6clearing its seat I3 and flushing takes place. Upon release of camdevice 29, or upon the rising of the plunger to such extent that sleeve25 clears the end of plungerl 28, the control valve again seats andfluid from inlet port I I passes upwardly through duct 32, tubularmember 34,

and through by-pass 33, slowly recharging cylinder I4 and causingplunger I6 to slowly descend. When the plunger has descended to thepoint that the flushing flowis being interrupted hy valve element I9plunger head I6 clears by-pass 36 and a greatly increased flow ofV fluidpasses from duct 32 into cylinder I4, forcing plunger I6 down rapidlyand seating valve element I9. .By reason of the adjustable character ofthe sleeve 25, it is possible to limit the maximum period of flushingwithout changing the adjustment of the rate of charging flow throughby-pass 33.

operated to hold plunger 28 extended against v its spring, the sleeve25, in its upward movement with the other parts of the main valveplunger, will soon clear the end of plunger 28 and valve 23 will beseated. The limited amount of uid discharged from the cylinder I4 duringthis short period will be quickly replaced by charging fluid enteringthrough duct 32, and the period of flushing will be correspondinglybrief. As is true in conventional devices, byv reason of the slidablecharacter of sleeve 25, valve 23 will remain seated upon the return ofthe main valve plunger even though the plunger 28 be held extended toprevent the sleeve 25 from assuming its normal pendant position. Whensleeve 25 is adjusted to a low position upon valve stem 24, if theplunger 28 be held extended, valve 23 will be unseated for a longerperiod and the flushing period will be correspondingly greater.

Several features of the disclosed flush valve contribute to provide itsnoiseless character. The non-metallic valve elements I9 and 22 eliminatehammering noises. The gauze washer 20, and the spool-shaped nut 2|gently restrict and lead the flushing stream into the outlet port I2during the initial opening and the final closing periods, and do much toquiet the sounds normally occurring due to the water rushing past thevalve seat I3. And lastly, the quick closing of the valve when flushinghas been accomplished'is the feature provided by the auxiliary duct 36and eliminates an especially .disagreeable set of noises.

The novel piston of my valve operating plunger, by reason of itsnon-metallic character is not corrosively attacked by acid or alkaliimpurities in the water, nor is there formed thereon any hard cake as inthe case of pistons having metal bodies. Further, the piston is light inweight and, therefore, sensitive. The head portion I6 in combinationwith the depending skirt portion of the cup-shaped member I8 contributejointly to provide guiding means for insuring accurate seating of valveelement I9 upon seat I3.

My non-metallic piston construction is not subject to corrosion or tothe formation of hard The head portion I6 in combination with thedepending skirt portion I8 jointly constitute guiding means for thevalve element I9 insuring accurate seating upon the valve seat I3. 'Iheassembly nut 2I extends below the piston proper and serves as a bailleto prevent the tilting of the valve stem sleeve 25 by the inrushingflushing stream when the valve element I9 is unseated.

I am also aware that the construction disclosed and described in thisspecication may be varied considerably without departing from the spiritofmy invention. I, therefore, claim my invention broadly as indicated bythe appended claims.

rWhat I claim is:

1. In a flush valve, a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and avalve seat intermediate said ports, a main valve element associated withsaid seat, a timing chamber connected with said inlet port by arestricted charging duct, a control valve governing a discharge port insaid chamber, said discharge port being of greater capacity than thecharging capacity of said duct and, when opened, eifecting a reductionof fluid pressure in said chamber, hydrostatic means associated withsaid timing chamber and subject to pressures therein, said hydrostaticmeans opening said main valve when the chamber pressure falls belowl thepressure in the inlet port, and closing said main valve as the chamberpressure becomes equallzed with the pressure in the inlet port, andmeansassociated with said hydrostatic element for greatly increasing` thecharging Lilow to said chamber and effecting rapid seating of said mainvalve, said means becoming operative when said main valve has almost butnot completely returned to its seat after having been opened.

2. In a ilush valve, a casing having .an inlet port, an outlet port, anda valve seat intermediate said ports,a main valve element associatedwith Said seat, a timing cylinder connected with said inlet port by arestricted charging duct, a control valve governing a cylinder dischargeport,A said discharge port being of greater capacity than the chargingcapacity of said duct and when opened effecting a reduction of pressurewithin said cylinder, a piston coupled to said main valv`e and movablein said cylinder to? open said valve when the pressure in said cylinderfalls below the pressure in thevinlet port, and movable to close saidmain valve when the pressure in said cylinder becomes equalized with thepressure in the inlet port, and means for effecting rapid final seatingof said main valve, said means comprising an auxiliary cylinder chargingduct extending through the side wall of said timing cylinder at a. pointjust above and clear of gthe piston head when it is in valve seatingposition.

3. In a flush valve, a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and avalve seat intermediate said ports, a timing cylinder disposed over andalined with said valve seat .and connected with V said inlet port by arestrictedI charging duct, a.

plunger movable in said cylinder, said plunger comprising athick, moldedcentrally apertured disc-like head member formed of hard rubber or itsequivalent, a tubular sleeve member disposed in the aperture of saidhead member, de-

pending therefrom into said outlet port, having i threads upon its lowerportion and having a ilange at its upper lend which ilange is imbeddedand anchored in said molded head member, plunger packing means disposedabout said sleeve member and including a portion, seatable upon saidvalve seat to constitute a valve therefor,a nut threaded upon saidsleeve member and clamping said packing means against said head member,a control valve seated upon said head member, closing the aperturetherethrough, and having a stem extending through said sleeve member,and means for tilting said valve stem -to unseat said control valve.

4. In a iiush valve, a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and avalve seat intermediate said ports, a timing cylinder disposed over andalined with said valve seat and connected with said inlet port by arestricted charging duct, a plunger movable in said cylinder, saidplunger comprising a centrally apertured head member, a threaded tubularsleeve member depending from said head member anddening, with saidaperture, a cylinder discharge port, plunger pack- Aing meansdisposedabout said sleeve member beneath said head member and including aportion seatable upon said valve seat to constitute a valve therefor, aforaminous washer disposed beneath said'packing means and arranged toextend within said` outlet port only when said valve is scated'orclosely adjacent its seat, thusrestricting and dividing the fluid thenpassing said seat into a plurality of small streams, a nut threaded uponsaid sleeve member and clamping said head member, packing means andforaminous washer in assembly, a control valve seated upon said headmember, closing the aperture therethrough, and `having a stem extendingthrough said sleeve member, and means for tilting said valve stem tounseatjsaid control valve.

5. In a flush valve, a casing having an inlet port, an outlet port and avalve seat intermediate said ports, a timing cylinder disposed over andAalined with said valve seat and connected With said inlet port byarestricted charging duct,

a plunger movable in said cylinder, said plunger 15 comprising acentrally apertured head member, a threaded tubular sleeve memberdepending from said head member and dening, with said apertura-acylinder discharge port, plunger packing means disposed about saidsleeve member beneath said head member and including a portion seatableupon said valve -seat to constitute a valve therefor, a wire gauzeWasher disposed beneath said packing means and arranged to extend withinsaid outlet port only when'said Valve 25 is seated or closely adjacentitsA seat, thus restricting and dividing the uid then passing said seatintov a plurality of small streams, a` nut threaded upon said sleevemember and clamp-- ing said head member, packing means and wire gauzewasher in assembly, a control valve seated upon lsaid head member,closing the aperture therethrough, and having a" stem extending' throughsaidfsleeve member, and means for tilting said valve stem to unseat saidcontrol Valve. 6. In .a ilush valve, a casing having an inlet port, anoutlet port and a valve seat intermediate said ports, a'main valveelement associated 4with said seat, a timing chamber connected with saidinlet port byA a restricted charging duct, hy- 40 drostatic meansfor'operating said main valve,

said hydrostatic means constituting a Wall of said timing chambermovabler in accordance lwith variations in chamber pressure, a mushroomtype control valve carried by said hydrostatic means having a headportion normally closing a chamber discharge port therethrough andhaving a stern portion extending through said discharge port, a slidablesleeve depending from and constituting an extension of said stem, sleevead- 5 0 justing means associated with the lower end of said stem anddetermining the limit of said extension, and means for laterallyengaging said extensionto unseat said control valve.

7.'In a flushing valve of the character de- "5 scribed, a casing havinganoutlet port openingtherefrom and an lirllet port, a valve memberreciprooable on the axis `of the outlet port to close said port at -onelimit of movement, means tooperate the va1ve,' an outlet passagelongitu- G0 dinally extended from the port, a valve having an extensionaxially movable in the passage, and a porous element on 4the extensioninitially withinthe passage next to the port ando'f` an extent 'wlongitudinauy of said axis less than" the normal 0 opening movementofthe valveand movable with scribed,n a casing having an outlet portopening therefrom and an inlet port. a valve member -reciprocable onthev axis of the outlet port to the port and passage and being soproportioned that a clearance occurs between the porous element and theport when the valve is closed or nearly closed, and whereby asubstantially increased clearance occurs `at maximum opening positionsof the valve.

9. In a flushing. valve of the character described, a casing having anoutlet port opening therefrom and an inlet port, a valve memberreciprocable on the axis of the outlet port to close said port atonelimit of movement, means to operate the valve, an outlet passagelongitudinally extended from the port, the valve having an extensionaxially movable in the passage, and a porous element on the extensioninitially within the passage next to the port and of an extentlongitudinally of `said axis less than the normal opening movement ofthe valve and movable` with the valve member out of the port, saidporous element being of laminated construction constituted by amultiplicity of superposed disc-like 5 washers of woven wire fabricencircling said extension.

10. In a ilushingvalve of the character described, a casing having anoutlet port opening therefrom and an inlet port, a' valve member 10reciprocable on the axis of the outlet port to close said port at onelimit of movement, means to operate the valve, an outlet passagelongitudinally extended from the port, the valve having an extensionaxially movable in the passage, 15 anda porous element on the extensioninitially within the passage next to the port and of an extentlongitudinally of said axis less than the normal opening movement of thevalve and movable with the valve member out of the port, said 20extension being formed with a circumscribing groove immediately adjacentthe valve, and a plurality of Washers tted therein of substantially lessdiameter than the port and passage,

said washers being stamped from Wire cloth, 25 whereby the extremitiesof the Wires are projected in the direction of water moving toward theport when open.

FREDERICK C. BINNALL. so

